Data were merged from two prevention randomized trials testing 1-year outcomes of a parenting skills program, the Chicago Parent Program (CPP), and comparing its effects for African-American (n=291) versus Latino (n=213) parents and their preschool children. Compared to controls, intervention parents had improved self-efficacy, used less corporal punishment and more consistent discipline, and demonstrated more positive parenting. Intervention children had greater reductions in behavior problems based on parent-report, teacher-report, and observation. Although improvements from CPP were evident for parents in both racial/ethnic groups, Latino parents reported greater improvements in their children’s behavior and in parenting self-efficacy but exhibited greater decreases in praise. Findings support the efficacy of the CPP for African American and Latino parents and young children from low-income urban communities.
This study examined the equivalence of the Child Behavior Checklist/1 1/2-5 (CBCL/1 1/2-5) in 682 parents of 2- to 4-year-old children stratified by parent race/ethnicity (African American, Latino, and non-Latino White), family income (low vs. middle-upper), and language version (Spanish vs. English). Externalizing Scale means differed by income and child gender. Internalizing Scale means differed by income and parent race/ethnicity. Differential item analyses showed that few items functioned differently by racial/ethnic, language, and income group. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the Externalizing Scale provided a good fit with the data across racial/ethnic and income groups. However, model fit was improved for the Internalizing Scale when factor weights were allowed to vary. Findings support the equivalence of the CBCL/1 1/2-5 when used with parents of low-income preschool children from African American and Latino backgrounds, although further study of the factor structure for the Internalizing Scale is recommended.
This study evaluated the reliability, equivalence, and convergent validity of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) in 682, 2- to 4-year-old children. For analysis, parent informants' data were blocked by race/ethnicity (African-American, Latino, non-Latino White), family income (low versus middle/upper), child's gender, and ECBI language version (English and Spanish). ECBI scales had high internal consistency reliabilities and good convergence with the Child Behavior Checklist/1-5. Some racial/ethnic and income effects were found. There were no mean differences by ECBI language version or by child gender. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a single-factor invariant model of the ECBI Intensity Scale provided a good fit with the data across racial/ethnic and income groups. Implications for using the ECBI to measure behavior problems in young children of color are discussed.
We tested the cost-effectiveness of giving low-income parents childcare discounts contingent on their participation in the Chicago Parent Program, a 12-session preventive parent training (PT) program offered at their child’s daycare center. Eight centers were matched and randomized to an experimental condition in which parents received a discount on their childcare bill (M = $8.92 per session attended) or a control group with no financial incentive. Participants (n = 174) consisted mostly of African American (55%) or Latino (42%) mothers, 62% reporting annual household incomes less than $20,000. Parents in the discount condition were 15.4% more likely to enroll than control parents, though this difference was not significant. There were no differences in PT attendance, parents’ motivations for enrolling, or the degree to which parents were actively engaged in PT sessions by condition. Despite the added cost of the discounts, there was no difference in group costs by condition. Parent interviews revealed important challenges in implementing financial incentive programs in community-based agencies serving low-income families. Cost simulations show how low parent enrollment or low attendance negatively affect the economic efficiency of group-based PT. Implications for policies guiding financial incentive programs targeting low-income families and their participation in prevention programs are discussed.
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